Bean Bag Chairs
by whovian-oncer
Summary: AU, Rose and the Doctor are high school students about to graduate, and planning one last adventure before they leave school. They are best friends, but will they stay that way? :) Lots of fluff!


Lights danced across the gym, creating spots of color in all sorts of patterns on the dark floor. Bodies danced to the music with their friends, against the pounding beat. A latin song came on and a boy, tall and geeky, but with gorgeous hair, pulled his blonde-haired friend into a dance. She laughed and twirled, her hair falling in golden waves behind her. The girl fell into a dip just as the song ended.

"Not bad mister," she gave him a cheeky smile. "You dance well."

"Of course I dance well," he grinned, bringing her upright again. The girl, Rose, rolled her eyes playfully.

She had known this boy ever since first grade, when Rose had fallen off the jungle gym. Her leg was bleeding a little, and the boy rushed over to her holding a spare band aid with spaceship designs on it. He'd unpeeled it for her. A short little Rose with pigtails and a pink headband laughed, "What are you, a doctor?" The little boy looked up thoughtfully and said, "I suppose I am." As if he was thinking of a superhero name, he exclaimed, "Call me the doctor!" Rose had giggled, "alright then." They grew up together, the Doctor and Rose Tyler, best friends. The Doctor grew up to be extremely clever, tall, and with great brown hair. Rose grew up to be tall too, with beautiful long blonde hair. She was determined and stubborn, and always loyal to her best friend. The two of them got into trouble all the time.

The song shifted into a slow dance and Rose held out her hand. "Doctor?" she asked. He looked into her eyes and took her hand. Staring at his childhood friend, he realized how beautiful she looked tonight. Her blue gown flowed behind her, making sparkles. For once, he was speechless.

Rose didn't seem to mind. She held her Doctor close, head resting on his shoulder, and they stepped in time to the music. Rose could feel his heart beat, steady, almost as if he had two hearts. They didn't want the song to ever end, but everything has its time. Rose looked up at the Doctor as the song finished, and he smiled back at her. She gave him one in return.

"That was nice," she said. "Tonight was a great dance."

"It was," he agreed. They couldn't stop smiling and blushing. Finally Rose spoke.

"Well I 'spose we better be going, they're packing everything up." Suddenly the Doctor got a mischievous look in his eye.

"Oh no, what is it?" she asked, laughing.

"The thing is, I don't want to go," he responded, with a twinkle in his eye. Rose sighed, with a grin.

"Alright, what's the plan?"

"Just you listen," he promised her.

After he explained the plan, Rose looked a bit concerned, about getting in trouble and all that. She figured she would be used to it by now, hanging out with the Doctor all the time. He begged her with puppy dog eyes to be part of the plan.

"Please? We'll be graduating in a few days anyway!"

Rose didn't like getting into trouble by herself, but as long as she had her best friend with her, she didn't mind.

"Okay, alright," she grinned, as his eyes lit up. "But if I get in trouble with the school or mum, it's your fault," Rose warned him. He nodded solemnly.

"Course! I wouldn't want to get in trouble with your mum. She's a lot of trouble, she is..."

"Oi!" Rose stared at him seriously.

The Doctor just chuckled, "Come on, the plan!" First, as everyone was going outside to be picked up, they went to the bathroom and hid there until they were sure the school was deserted. Then Rose called her mother.

"Mum? Are you there?"

"Oh Rose dear what time is the dance going to be over? I forgot to ask earlier," Jackie said.

"It just finished, but Charize invited me to sleep over is it alright if I go?" Rose crossed her fingers.

"Oh sure darling, go ahead, I was thinking of inviting Ricardo over anyway."

"Um...okay then, thanks Mum, see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight sweetheart," the line went off.

"All good," she smiled at the Doctor, giving him the thumbs up. "Are you sure you don't want to call Jack and tell him you won't be back?" Jack was the Doctor's good friend who he usually crashed with.

"Nah, he won't mind. I'll text him." The Doctor flipped out his phone, pressed a few keys, then closed it. "All set," he grinned. "Now, all of school, where do you want to go?" he asked, with a child-like gleam in his eye.

"Well first I think I want to change," Rose laughed.

"Oh...right," the Doctor looked at her dress and his tuxedo.

"I'm going to go to my gym locker and put on some comfier clothes. Meet back at the bathroom in 10 minutes sharp?" she asked. The Doctor nodded, "See you in 10 minutes."

Rose thought it was a bit eerie to be in school at night, but a bit cool too. She rushed to the girls' locker room. Changing out of her dress, she put on some grey sweats and a t-shirt. Then she took a hair tie and wrapped her hair into a ponytail. Not exactly stylish, but very comfy. Finally, she hurried to meet the Doctor.

The Doctor felt like a kid in a candy shop. He'd always loved exploring, and now he got to share an adventure with his best friend! He quickly changed out of his tux and put on some long, cotton pants and a long sleeve grey t-shirt. The Doctor hurried out of the boys' locker room and back up to the bathroom to meet Rose.

He saw her standing by the bathroom door. God, in sweats she was still gorgeous, he thought. The Doctor ran up to her. "So, where do you wanna go?"

Rose had to think for a second, but then she got an idea. "Ooh! I know," she grabbed his hand and they ran through the hallways. "Run!" she laughed.

Finally, Rose stopped by a classroom. The Doctor peered in. It was the piano lab.

"Oh, Rose, I'm not that good at piano, maybe we should-"

"Aw come on Doctor, I know you can play, I've seen you," she gave him a little push. "Go on," she smiled. The Doctor reluctantly walked in and sat on a piano bench. Rose sat beside him, leaning her head on his shoulder. A sudden warmth filled him.

The music found the Doctor. Notes swirled in his mind, twisting melodies and chords that came together in a beautiful song. Rose stared at him, awestruck, as the most amazing sound she'd ever heard floated through her ears. When the song faded away, he gave her a small smile and she reached up to touch his face.

"That was gorgeous," she beamed at him, then pulled the Doctor into a hug. When they came apart, he said, "Well, I'm hungry. What do you say about searching the cafeteria for food?" with a playful grin. She laughed, "Is there any other way to go?"

They ran to the cafeteria holding hands.

After searching through boxes of frozen pizza (which they carefully put back), they found bags of chips and some sodas. The Doctor and Rose pulled out a table and sat down, eating. They talked, joked, laughed. It felt to them at the moment that the universe was theirs.

"Anywhere in time and space," the Doctor asked, "where would you want to go?"

Rose thought about it for a second.

"Maybe Earth in the future? Or old Scotland. Anywhere really, as long as I had my best friend beside me." She winked at him, and he gave her a cheeky grin in return.

"Now you, where would you want to go Doctor?"

"The best part of adventures is having someone to share them with. I'd go wherever you wanted, Rose Tyler," he beamed at her. All was silent for a few moments, they just smiled at each other.

"But I 'spose, if there was somewhere I wanted to go right now, I could show you..."

Rose chuckled, "Alright Doctor, lead the way!" He grabbed her hand and whispered into her ear, "Run."

They ran through the dark hallways that didn't bother Rose as much. She could get used to adventures with the Doctor. Suddenly he stopped in front of a larger room. Rose peered in and laughed, "Of course you would choose the library." He grinned at her like a little kid, "Aw come on." The Doctor ran to the nearest bookshelf. Rose went to open the blinds so the moonlight could shine through and they could read. She saw a magazine from National Geographic about wolves, and picked it up. Hearing an excited gasp, Rose turned to look at the Doctor.

"They have Agatha Christie!" he grabbed one of the books and ran to sit on a bean bag chair to start reading. "Now how cool would it be to meet her," he mused, flipping through the pages. Rose grinned to herself and started reading National Geographic on the wooden chair across from him.

The Doctor loved Agatha Christie's books. He finished it in about an hour. Rose looked up from her magazine. "Was it good?" she asked.

"It was brilliant, brilliant!" he exclaimed. "I dunno, I feel like I know her! How's the magazine?"

"Pretty good, yeah," Rose smiled, then yawned. "I'm a bit tired now."

The Doctor peered at his watch. "Wow, it's already one in the morning! Get some rest, Rose," he smiled at her tentatively. She got up from her chair and sat on the Doctor's bean bag, next to him. "Is it okay if I sit here? 'S more comfortable."

The Doctor's heart raced. "Of course," he blushed.

"This was a great idea by the way, I had a really fun time tonight Doctor."

"Thanks Rose." She smiled at him, and then put her head on his shoulder.

"Before I fall asleep, I just want to ask one question."

"What is it?" the Doctor's heart pounded.

"I've always wondered, I mean you haven't told anyone...with Jack moving away and everything..."

"Yes?"

"What are you going to do next year?"

The Doctor looked down, Rose quickly turned away, "Oh it's okay, I'm sorry, you don't have to-"

"No, it's fine, I just-I don't know what I'm going to do, I don't really have a plan."

Rose looked up into his eyes. He cleared his throat, "I mean, I always wanted to travel the world, but I didn't get into the international colleges I wanted to so...I was just going to figure something else out I guess," he held back a few tears.

"Hey," she held his face in her hands, "It'll be okay," she smiled. "I hadn't told anyone else yet, but I was going to take a gap year, to think things through with my life. I think traveling the world with my best friend for a year would really help."

"Rose, I can't let you do that, you have your mum here, your friends, your family."

"I made my choice a long time ago, I'm never going to leave you, Doctor," she said firmly.

"Then I'm going to save up some money this summer, working, I won't make you pay for a cent of our trip, Rose."

She laughed, "We'll see."

He grinned at her, then smiled. They both started to say something, then looked at the floor.

"You first," Rose told him.

"No you," he said, unsure of what she'd say.

She took a deep breath, "I...I...I love you."

The Doctor's heart soared.

"Rose Tyler," he started, having too much emotion for words, and pausing. "I love you."

She pulled him closer and he followed, into a kiss they had been holding back since ages ago.

They fell asleep holding hands in a bean bag chair, ready for the adventures to come.


End file.
